A leading human rights group in Belarus, the Viasna human rights center, reported that over the past three years, at least 4,690 individuals have been convicted on politically-motivated charges. This crackdown on dissent comes in the wake of the August 2020 presidential election, which sparked significant protests met with harsh repression by the authorities.
The representative of Viasna highlighted the alarming trend of political persecution in Belarus, stating that the repressive actions taken by the government are aimed at suppressing all freedoms. The scale of repression in Belarus has been described as broader than that seen in neighboring Russia.
Last year alone, the human rights group documented that at least 1,300 people faced criminal investigations on political grounds. The mere suspicion of disloyalty has been enough to trigger political repressions in the country.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who recently solidified his 30-year rule through tightly controlled parliamentary and local elections, has overseen a system where only loyalists are permitted to compete. The latest elections were held amidst a brutal crackdown on dissent, with more than 1,400 political prisoners currently behind bars.
Among the imprisoned opposition figures is Ales Bialiatski, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, along with other leaders of opposition parties. Concerns have been raised about the well-being of these individuals, as they have been held incommunicado for an extended period.
Tragic reports have emerged of political prisoners dying in custody, with at least five such cases documented by Viasna over the last three years. The authoritarian regime in Belarus has relied on support from Russia to quell protests, even allowing Russian troops to pass through Belarusian territory into Ukraine earlier this year.
Notably, Belarusian authorities have targeted individuals who opposed Russia's war in Ukraine, leading to the detention of over 1,600 Belarusians for their anti-war stance. Dozens have been convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms for acts of sabotage.
The situation in Belarus remains dire, with ongoing human rights abuses and a systematic crackdown on dissent that has drawn international condemnation.
